Apparently the included decals are from Best Choice, which is where that name comes from on the box. Definitely an MPM kit.

Kev

Kev,

A view of the internals for you....

Plenty of resign and the instructions clearly show which original kit parts will not be needed, items in gray and the parts that need to be removed in red.

The instructions are quite good too.

2 sets of PE, clearly stamped Best Choice, clearly stamped in 2007.

A small but helpful 4 page walk around in color.

Two pages of marking diagrams.

And two pages of full 1/32 drawings, which I like.

The resin details for the interior and the engine are quite robust. You can definitely have some fun with the engine and the pit.

The kit has a certificate limiting it to "999" kits. The injection appears to be the wrong color for the Revell kit, but what do I know? I do know with some careful attention this should build up nicely. The engine and cockpit alone are kits in themselves.

As I recall David was a bit stymied by the overall length of the Boomerang airplane. There was some question if the overall length that was published included the propeller boss or not. No one could come up with the definitive answer

In any event David decided to produce the 1/32 Japanese Kawanishi N1K1 REX WW2 float plane fighter as a complete kit, floats and all. To this end I sent him my Revell 1/32 kit of the landplane version. Then He and Umi went to a; picnic and he had a heart attack. He died on the way to the hospital in the ambulance despite the efforts of the ambulance crew to keep im alive.

Umi called me and asked for help in selling all this stuff to modelers who would appreciate it. I put her in touch with an auction house in Danbury, CT who specialized in models and trains, etc. But then David's estranged legal wife (they were long separated) stepped in and with the aid of some of his friends in the local modelling group they disposed of everything. I lost touch with everyone in that area and that ended that. David was one of the closest friends I ever had. I still miss him and our thrice weekly llengthly phone calls.

The 162 IS the Revell kit. The same as inside Revells own boxing. The resin parts are the CMK sets available for the 162. PE looks like made by/outsorced to Eduard. Not surprising given that some of the Czech brands are connected to each other and/or doing cooperation projects.

The decals are said to have some flaws, wrong colours, shapes or something like this. See online reviews elsewhere. So it might be a good idea to check references if the provided decals and painting instructions fit the particular build.

OK folks, here's one for you kit history buffs. In our database, we have a range of vintage Revell kits released in Japan. Some are listed as being from Revell-Takara, while others are listed as being from Revell-Japan. I suspect the former is the correct designation for all of them, but just wanted to make sure. Was the Takara arrangement somehow special or temporary, and did not in fact apply to all vintage Revell kits released in Japan?

Difficult to say for sure without having one of the books dedicated to the history of Revell kits. I only know that Takara is still a toy company related in some way to Tomy. So, without certainty, Takara probably acted as the local distributor as Tamiya is still doing with Italeri kits. Hopefully, somebody has the final word on this.

Takara probably acted as the local distributor as Tamiya is still doing with Italeri kits.

Not entirely since Takara developed and produced several kits sold under the Revell/Takara label. LSPs include the "Lost Three" J2M3, Ki-61 and N1K1-J, but they also produced a slew of 1/72 Japanese subjects as well, such as the Ki-45 and P1Y1. Some of these kits were produced in Japan (presumably by Takara), but were labeled Revell only.

If anything, it was a partnership between Revell and Takara for producing and distributing Revell kits intended for the Japanese market, but distributed worldwide. Some releases included Takara on the label, but others did not.

In fact we agree! I did not mean that Takara was ONLY a distributor! They also produced their own kits. Among the small scale ones you mentioned, I am remembering having seen some Japanese bombers many years ago with the Takara label. And I think they still produce assembled models. I guess that Tomy is a related company.

That is what I would do as whatever may have been the creator of the mold (Revell-Japan or Takara for Revell), this does not change the fact that the kits were seemingly distributed by Takara in Japan and only arrived later in the rest of the World with the simpler "Revell" brand. Unless somebody demonstrates the contrary, this looks like the most logical approach.

That is what I would do as whatever may have been the creator of the mold (Revell-Japan or Takara for Revell), this does not change the fact that the kits were seemingly distributed by Takara in Japan and only arrived later in the rest of the World with the simpler "Revell" brand. Unless somebody demonstrates the contrary, this looks like the most logical approach.